Method of producing wheels



Jan. 22, 1929.

C. M. WATROUS IE'THOD OF PRODUCING WHEELS 0 Original Filed May 8, was

INVENTOR Cjifford Watrous,

Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLIFFORD M. WATROUS, OF EAST HAMPTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO GONG BELL MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

METHOD or PRODUCING WHEELS.

Original application filed May 8, 1924, Serial No. 711,825. Divided and. this application filed February 28', 1925. Serial No. 12,357.

This invention relates to the method of producing or manufacturing wheels and is particularly directed to the manufacture of comparatively small wheels for toys and the like, where comparatively light, though stiff wheels, are desired, and which may be produced upon an economical basis.

It is a division of my application, Serial No. 711,825, filed May S, 1924.

The main object of the invention is to se cure uniformity in production with a minimum cost and scrap loss, and at the same time, securing a wheel of unusually attractive appearance which may be made to simulate any desired standard type of wheel used on pleasure vehicles, commercial vehicles, or standard types.

The objects also contemplate the ability to use a comparatively thin material, giving it strength, stiffness and durability by the method of its formation.

Under the method hereinafter defined, many of the inherent objections of a cast and formed wheel for toys, may be obviated.

' lVheels made, as described herein, require no fitting and assembly, having smooth running treads which are centered with reference to the axle openings or attaching means.

They may further be given a hi gh degree of finish and may be produced in quantity with precision.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1, illustrates the finished wheel in one form, the dotted outline illustrating the spoke section as punched out from the material.

Fig. 2, is a section through the junction of one of the spokes with the felloe.

Fig. 3, illi'lstrates a section of a felloe portion completely rolled, and on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 4, illustrates the felloe section with smaller offsets than that of Figures 2 and 3, also on an enlarged scale; i

Fig. 5, illustrates a narrow felloe in comparison with Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

Fig. 6, shows a modified fastening means between spoke and felloe sections.

Fig. 7, is a sectional view, on anenlarged scale, through the unction of the spoke with the felloe of Fig. 6.

The n'iethod herein described contemplates the employment of sheet material of a proper gauge and ductility to permit blanking, shaping, curling'and deforming and yet of sufiicient strength to provide a composite structure of great rigidity.

The method relates to the forming of wheels by blanking, cutting and piercing portions with dies which will give absolute uniformity in finished product.

In carrying out the invention, a disk is first blanked out of sheet material and upon submission to the action of suitable dies, its peripheral edge is offset, drawn or curled up to provide the required and desired form of tread or running surface. I The blanked disk, so formed, is then deformed as to portions of its surface and pierced to give a central opening for the axle, which opening is, of course, truly concentric with the curled or offset peripheral edge or felloe.

A blanking operation, which cuts out the spoke sections, is next employed, and this operation provides the spokes with a hub section and the deformed or stiffening portions of the blank for strengthening the spokes. Ti lie blanked out portion is then placed in the remaining peripheral section and the ends of the spokes are riveted or spot welded to the felloe section as in the caseof Figs. 1 to 5, inelusive.

In the case of Figs. (3 and 7, the ends of the spoke sections are curled directly into the formed up rim or felloe section.

It will be quite obvious, from this series of steps, that a complete wheel is stamped out of a single disk, the spoke and hub portions being cut out of what would ordinarily be scrap and reunited with the felloe portion.

This method of production gives great latitude in design and finish as the spoke and hub sections may be treated to give any desired colored effect, independent of the color effect which is produced for the tire sections.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 1, indi-' cates the disk, first stamped from a sheet of material and illustrated in its full size by the dotted outline 2, of Fig. 1.

The peripheral edge of the disk 2, is curled or offset to form the felloe 3, Fig. 2, illustrating a U-shaped drawing of this rim while Fig. 3, shows the rim curled into a circular form. Figure 4, shows a more sharply defined angular offset.

It will be obvious that the formation of the rim section may be of a design and character to meet the exigencies of any particular requirement. Broad fiat tires may be secured, of annular like form, or tubular like treads may be produced, as illustrated in Figure 3, or the shorter flat tread of Fig. 1, may be secured, all dependent upon the form of the die for producing deformation and drawing of the metal at the peripheral edge of the disk.

It will be apparent from the dotted line of Fig. 1, the spoke and hub section of the wheel is blanked out of the disk and the only loss in metal in scrap, is that indicated by the shaded portion of Figure 1.

The spokes 1," 5, 6, 7, 8, may have any 'desired form, dependent upon the shape of the dies, but it is preferred to form them with an end having lateral extensions 9, 10, to give a firm hold upon the interiorly extending portion 11, of the felloe or tread .section of the wheel.

After the spoke section is blanked out, as indicated, the spider like form of spoke and hub section is applied, to the felloe portion, at points intermediate the end cuttings, A, B, C, D, made for the spokes; for instance, as at. E, F, G, and H. The ends of the spokes may then be secured to the flange 11, and the felloe, by any suitable means, preferably by spot welding, although it is quite apparent that the parts could be pierced and riveted, if desired. Spot welding, however, obviates any liability of throwing the parts out of true.

As they come from the dies in perfect form, cut with great accuracy, they may be readily spot welded without destroying the accuracy, and this operation gives what is, in effect, a con'ipleted' wheel of homogeneous material.

In Fig. 5, the flange 11, of Fig. 1, has been cut away, except as to small port-ions 12, to provide a means of attachment for the ends of the spokes which are, of course, spot welded. This form of device very much reduces the inside and outside diameters of the felloe and effect a great saving in material, where the felloe or rim portion of the wheel is covered with a resilient material. For instance, there is a great saving where a cord or chenille is wound about the felloe portion to give a soft running tread and the appearance of a pneumatic tire.

In Figs. 6 and 7, in place of spot welding the parts, a somewhat deeper cut into the felloe portion is made, when forming the spokes 13, 1 1, and in this case, the blanking out of the spoke and hub section of the wheel is effected prior to the curling of the edge of the disk. I

The blanked out hub and spoke section of spider like form is then revolved approximately 45, and the curling dies form the ends of the spokes into the recesses of the curled edge of the felloe. This is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, where the spoke ends 13, 14, etc.,. are cut out of the disk 15, and then turned to a point approximately at 16, where they are curled and forced, along with the felloe portion, into a U-shape, the felloe por tion 17, having a greater peripheral area than that of the U-shaped spoke end 18, which is forced thereinto.

This form of the device gives a very substantial Wheel and does not require spot welding or riveting to unite the spoke section and the felloe section.

111 any of the forms of wheels described, or which it is desired to make, the spoke section, as it is punched or blanked out, may be embossed or deformed as at X, to give added stiffness to the spider like spoke section. This embossing may, of course, take any desired form, of a more or less artistic charac ter and its effect, mechanically, is always the same, namely, that of stiffening up the spider like spoke section.

The same result of stiffening is attained by offsetting or curling or rolling up the metal of the felloe portion to provide the tread or tire.

It is quite obvious that various modifications and the exact form of stamping may be made within the scope of the invention, with out departing from the spirit or intent thereof.

In any case, a comparatively thin material may be used which, when deformed and blanked out, as described, will produce a very attractive and extremely cheap type of wheel having unusual features of attractiveness and strength.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A method of producing wheels which consists in forming a disk like blank, deforming the edge of said disk to provide a tread and felloe portion, blanking out the disk to produce a spoke section, reassembling the spoke section so blanked out, with reference to the felloe section, and reuniting said parts by spot Welding.

2. A method of producing metal wheels which consists in forming a disk-like blank of metal, deforming the edge of the disk to produce a tread portion with an interiorly extending flange portion, blanking out the disk to produce a spoke section, a rim and felloe section, and certain scrap sections, reassembling the spoke section thus produced with reference to the felloe section with the ends of the spokes overlapping the said interiorly extending flange of the rim and r'elloe section and uniting said parts Where they overlap.

3. A method of producing Wheels which consists in producing a disk like blank from a sheet of material and deforming the edge of said disk to provide a tread and felloe portion With a flange extending inwardly from the tread, blanking the disk to produce a spoke section and uniting the spoke section, so blanked, to the inturned flange of the felloe section at a difierent point than that from Which it is blanked out.

CLIFFORD M. WVATROUS. 

